Further back in generations the greater mix-up. Written and oral legends can be incorrect.
Things can be exaggerated; time frames, names, ages, work and achievements.
I can be your personal historian.
Email Alice, to learn about her writing a loved one's story ... a gift from the heart
to your family.
Newly added to the 'Associated Content' site are short articles on different subjects. When you can, take the time to read some: View at:
http://www.asociatedcontent.com/user/501111/alice_l_luckhardt.html
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Many people are interested in knowing about their ancestors, some more than others. There is always at least one individual per generation willing to keep the family heirlooms, records, photos and documents. True, many of those wonderful, priceless items do get lost, destroyed or thrown out over the decades, but it is great to discover how much has been saved and treasured by each generation.
With the numerous sources and databases now available in libraries, courthouses, books and the Internet; research and writing about ones family has become very exciting. You think you may know your family history, but always be prepared, what really happened can still be uncovered.
With so many individuals interested in and perusing genealogy, the research of ones’ roots, including varied family legends are being better studied and in turn the truth is being learned. It is realized that some family tales have a basis of truth, some have been misconstrued over the years and some have no facts to support the story. But the one thing they all have in common is that they make for very interesting family stories, before and after the truth is discovered.
In my many years of research, not only with my own family branches, my husband's family and numerous individuals whom I have done research for ... there is always new and exciting information, photos, documents to be located.
ANCESTORS from many locations: The United States is made of immigrates from many different and varied locations and cultures. However, always start with your own 'backyard'. Find out as much as you can on your parents and then work on their parents (your grandparents). You will work from 2 individuals (parents) to then 4 individuals (grandparents) to then 8 great grandparents. For family members born in USA, those are the easiest to research first. When you locate an ancestor born in another country, keep good records. Many times, different names for the same foreign location were used. There are plenty of records to examine if your ancestors came from the United Kingdom (England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales). If they came from Germany, France, Prussia, Italy, Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Austria, etc. there are resources but they are harder to either translate or find complete sources. Some of the European sources are with databases on varied Internet sites but you may also try the very rich sources at the Family History Centers (LDS Church) or your local county genealogical society. Both have a great deal of information on ancestors from Europe, Asia and South America.
RESEARCH IS WORK ... but fun work !!!
Summer - 2008 -- Keep researching -- You just never know what you may come across. Using the eBay web site (www.ebay.com) I placed an ancestor's hometown to see what might be up for auction. Recently, for the town of Frederick, Maryland, there was nine letters written by a young soldier, Alton Bennett, to his parents who lived in Frederick in 1918. Now I'm now related to the Bennett family but I just hated the idea that these letters would be scattered across the country after the auction. I researched about the Bennett family, located two sons of Alton (who had been a judge in Frederick) and then had a fellow researcher in Frederick contact the sons. Only one son was still alive and he stated neither he or anyone else in the family was interested in the letters. What a shame -- lost to the family forever. BUT then an idea ... between my fellow researcher and I -- we thought of bidding on the letters ourselves and having them donated to the Frederick Museum. ONLY - we missed out on the winning bids. Next best thing was to request each of the six winning bidders to make good copies on heavy photo paper and mailing those copies to the Museum (with an offer of their costs covered). Success !! That idea did work ... and now we are just waiting for the winning bidders to receive their letters - copy them - mail them to Frederick. Those letters from a time 90 years ago, did need to remain in Alton's hometown. If not the originals, then copies were the next best approach. So, you see, research, is not just for yourself but can truly be a benefit for others, generations in the future. Make the effort.
SPECIAL NOTE - SUMMER 2008 -- I have several magazine articles coming out. Look for May issue - FLORIDA MONTHLY, July issues for DISCOVERING FAMILY HISTORY & GENEALOGICAL HELPER, then August issue of INTERNET GENEALOGY, in Sept. an article in ZOO & AQUARIUM VISITORS, & Nov. 2008 will have an article in ANCESTRY MAGAZINE.
Feb. 24, 2008 -- Article and information added. Title: "Saving a President" Enjoy !!
Click: Ancestor & a President
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lucky2kershaw/
Some of my research has followed a family surname name but that branch was not related. Instead, I did help that family learn more about their ancestor. One of my earliest achievements was concerning Lt. Samuel E. Kershaw of PA. He served during World War II. His training plane crashing in Essex County in England in February 1945. This was witnessed by a young boy, who never forgot the crash scene in an English open field. Decades later, the boy now a retired man learned that the field which had remained empty all those years was soon to have a new housing development on the site. He felt it was only fitting that a road be named in honor of this fallen American pilot, who managed to have the plane crash in the open field rather than the nearby school building. We located each other using genealogical query magazines and I offered to research in USA about this pilot. It took many months of writing letters, checking data banks and the Internet but finally I was successful in learning of Lt. Kershaw's family (a brother and sister) and more details of Kershaw's life before the war. His siblings were thrilled to learn that a road was to be named in the brother's honor and a special plaque placed at the entrance of the housing development so all entering will forever know about this American hero in the county of Essex.
Lt. Samuel E. Kershaw Photo to the left. It was a labor of 'love' to make the information on Lt. Kershaw available to the Essex County community and to his family.
Over the years, I have done several very interesting research projects and tried to help many families learn more about their ancestors. To share this information, I have written the findings, including documents, into story form, memoirs about an individual or whole family or the surname. Some have been so interesting I have published them in many different genealogical magazines. Some of the following magazines have published my stories: ANCESTRY, FAMILY CHRONICLE, INTERNET GENEALOGY and GENEALOGICAL HELPER.
As you return to this web site from time to time, I will provide sources, databases, and tips for research. I will also be including summaries of some of the unusual research discoveries I have made over the years. Some of those discoveries I still can't believe myself, yet I have proven the information 100%.
A little sample: The photo above of three little children are of my father in the center, his sister to the left and his younger brother to the right. The photo was taken about 1912 in Manchester, England. YET, over my father's entire life of 78 years, he stated he and his siblings were all born in Haverhill, Mass., USA. Only in 2001, long after my father's death in 1978, did I uncover that my father and his siblings were actually born in Manchester, England and came with their parents to USA in 1914. How I located this previously unknown photo is a whole separate story and an adventure into itself.
ADDED: The story of how I discovered my father was actually born in England is below, titled "English Born". Click on it to read further.
So bookmark this site and do check in again every so often and see what has been added.
The first good piece of advice I would offer, see if there is a LDS Church Family History Center near where you live. They are an excellent source of all types of information and resources, free to use and a friendly person to assist you.
The following are various examples of research (updated weekly):
***Click on this link below for an example of one small aspect of an ancestor's life turned into an enriching lesson in history and personal determination.
***The use of newspapers for genealogical research -- the good and bad. Click on the following site to learn of one unusual find in a newspaper.
***Epidemics -- diseases like the 'Spanish Flu' affected families over the years, causing an early death to many individuals and hardship to the family. Click on the link below "Flu & Diseases" to learn more.
*** U. S. Census -- An excellent source of information but there are some things you should known first.Click on the link below, "Genealogy Sources - Census" to learn more.
New information and story - Nov. 27, 2007 - "Groff Sibling"
Myths and Legends - how to learn the truth - click below - new Nov. 28th
This site is written by researcher and freelance writer: Alice L. Luckhardt of Stuart, Florida. Published articles in: ANCESTRY, INTERNET GENEALOGY, FAMILY CHRONICLE, GENEALOGICAL HELPER, SOUTH FL HISTORY, FLORIDA MONTHLY, JUPITER and HISTORY MAGAZINES.
Email Alice at: timeframes@bellsouth.net